Work starts to bring utilities to hospital, east

The project to extend water and sanitary utilities out to the new Pioneers Medical Center at Meeker Terrace, to the Curtis Creek area, and then out to County Rd 15, began on April 24. The project began just south of Airport Road, where town water lines previously terminated. The project is scheduled for completion by late July.
Meeker Town Administrator Scott Meszaros said the Utility Extension Project, a joint effort between the Pioneers Health Care District, Rio Blanco County, the Town of Meeker, the Sanitation District, the Meeker Fire District, the Cemetery District and a grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, will put infrastructure in the ground for future development and growth in addition to serving the new Pioneers Health Care Facility and potential users along the route.
This project promotes development into areas previously undesirable for development due to the lack of utilities and large expense to individual property owners.
“The water line will extend first, and the sewer line will be laid in its own trench adjacent to the water line following slightly behind. Once the water line extends beyond the town ditch, the contractor will come back and connect users to the new water line.
Those not currently receiving water or sanitary services may choose to connect. Those already on the supply line will be converted over to the new pipeline at no cost to the current users” Meszaros said. “The water line will also run beneath Highway 13 at the Curtis Creek roadway into the development and then run to both ends of the roadway,” he said. “A supply line to a storage tank will be run to the east of the Curtis Creek development. This portion was made possible due to the restricted (Curtis Creek Fund), and additionally the tank site location pushes water services into locations otherwise not likely serviced.”
A second separate sleeve will be bored for Sanitation lines to extend just beyond the highway into the Curtis Creek area.
The work to bore and place sleeves beneath Highway 13 at Curtis Creek was scheduled to start on Monday. Concrete “Jersey” barriers are scheduled to be put into place in accordance with CDOT’s required traffic control and access plans.
“There will likely be some short delays, especially when barriers are installed or when work is being done requiring equipment to be on the roadway,” Meszaros said.
A pump station will be located on an easement at CDOT’s yard location. That will increase the system pressure and provides flow to the tank location, he said.
“Pressure in these lines should be very good based on the tank elevation and design,” Meszaros said. “The hospital will require higher pressures to take care of fire suppression and other needs, and that will be provided by them on their site.”
He said the water and sewer will come first and be done pretty much together and that the gas line utility will follow after the water and sewer lines are complete.